


we'll work it out

by connorthegoner



Category: Twenty One Pilots, joshler - Fandom
Genre: In some chapters, M/M, Transphobia, Violence, and i've had this stuffed in my notes for a while so why not ya know i think it's good, and tyler is demiro nb, bc those are what i LIVE for, josh gets misgendered a lot sorry guys, josh is a lil pan ace trans boy, super gay!!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-11
Updated: 2016-01-18
Packaged: 2018-05-13 03:16:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5692531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/connorthegoner/pseuds/connorthegoner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>trans!joshler au they meet at a football game its cute i promise</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Josh wasn't really social. You can call it a choice all you want. He hated it, he hated parties, school things, family gatherings, all of it. 

But Brendon was a stuborn bitch, and he wasn't letting Josh miss out on this one. I mean, they were seniors, it was homecoming, they might as well have owned the place. 

They were both at Josh's house, listening to some CD Josh owned from 2006 he still claimed was legendary. Brendon was laying on his back with his limbs spread everywhere. Josh was on his phone, leaning against the wall. 

"Joooooooosh. Joshieeeeeeee," Brendon whined. Josh pointedly ignored. "Jooooooooosh-"

"Oh my God, Brendon, what," Jos gave in. 

"We gotta go to homecoming, man," he said, rolling onto his stomach and proping up on his elbows. 

"Dude, no," Josh replied. He looked at his friend. "You know I hate football games."

"Josh, come on," Brendon argued. "We're seniors!" He always said that like it was the coolest thing ever. "Everyone's gonna be drunk, no one's gonna care," He looked at his phone that had buzzed. "Plus Sarah really wants me there, and I told her I wouldn't come unless you did."

Josh dropped his head back and hit it against the wall. "Brendon, everyone's gonna make fun of me, it's gonna suck," Josh complained. 

"Nooooo man, I'll be there! People love me!" Brendon said with the biggest grin on. 

"People love you because you're a savage at parties. People think I'm fucking weird, dude," Josh said, going back to his phone. 

"You bet your ass I'm fucking savage. I can also beat a bitch up, so starting today, anyone who doesn't call you Josh or doesn't apologize when they fuck up your pronouns, they get knocked out, alright?" Brendon proposed. 

Josh glanced up. "Really?" He asked. 

Brendon sat up. "Of course man, you don't know that?" He replied.

Josh rolled his head on the wall. "Man," Josh groaned. "Fine, alright."

"Nice!" Brendon exclaimed, jumping up. He clapped once, crisp and loud. "Alright, get your cute ass up, we're going."

Josh sighed. "Want me to drive?" 

Brendon sighed dramatically and leaned over. "God, you're a blessing. Please."

Josh nodded. He got up. "Nope! Hold up, you need a different shirt," Brendon said, walking to Josh's drawers. 

"Would you get out of my shit," He said, pushing Brendon away. Brendon looked offended behind Josh's back. "I'll pick the shirt, okay?"

They decided on an outfit and headed out. Brendon called Sarah in the car to tell them they were coming. 

Josh parked in the school parking lot. He didn't get out. Brendon noticed quickly. "Dude, what's up? You're nervous?"

Josh nodded quickly. "I can't do it, man," He said, short of breath. He put the car back in reverse. "If you need a ride call me, alright man I'll be up."

"Woahwoahwoahwoahwoah, Josh, JOSH," Brendon yelled as the car screeched in reverse. "Listen man, you're here, and I'm gonna stick by your side the whole fucking time, alright? I promise, just please come. It would be so boring without you," Brendon begged. 

Josh gave Brendon a hard look before cracking. "Fine! Fuck you, man, you keep getting on my soft side."

"Yes!" Brendon cheered. Josh took out the keys and followed his friend out. 

"Remember man, anyone fucks up," Brendon finished by punching his fist into his other hand. Josh scoffed in response. 

Josh trailed behind Brendon the whole time. When he bro hugged Pete and hugged Pete's boyfriend Mikey, gave an uncomfortable hug to his drunk ex Ryan, and gave daps to a couple of others. He always introduced Josh. They all gave him funny looks when they shook his hand before grinning and saying "Oh, you were in my Science junior year!" Brendon never wavered. 

Josh hugged himself with an arm, the other hand tightly wrapped around a beer filled soda can as Brendon made his way around and chugged vodka. He was shit faced in an hour.

Brendon clamped a hand on his sholder. "Hey," he said loudly. "Anyone givin' you shit?" 

Josh shook his head. "Not yet man, no." 

"Good. I love you, dude, I would totally fuck you if you were into that," Brendon told Josh. He was so drunk. 

Josh smiled a slightly embarrassed, slightly a god-I-love-you smile. "Thanks, Beebo."

"Beebo!" Brendon exclaimed. "I forgot that name! Shit man, what was yours?" 

"Laly," Josh, mumbled quietly. 

"Lalyyyyyy," Brendon said. "Man, I always called you that." 

"Brendon!" Someone yelled. Brendon turned and got stoked to see this dude. Off they went. 

On the way Josh accidently rammed into someone. Consession stand nachos and hot chocolate went down. "Watch it, you stupid tranny!" The person exclaimed.

"I'm sorry," Josh said timidly. Brendon was too far to hear him. 

"Zack, man, it's not a big deal," someone else said. 

"Shut up, Tyler," assumingly Zack said. "Stupid cunt," he spat at Josh. 

"Please leave me alone," Josh pleaded. His stomach had gone cold. 

"What are you gonna do, faggot?" Zack spat. 

Josh was small, hate to tell ya. He knows it too, and his only line of defense was 20 feet away and hammered. 

Josh was starting to tremble. Next thing he knew he was running out if the school stadium, terrified. He went out to the parking lot, out to his car. 

He got in and turned on the heat. He put his head in his hands and tried to calm down. The tap on the window made him jump out of his skin. He looked to the window immediately. It wasn't the pissed off dickhead, it was the guy who was with him. "Yeah?" Josh said loudly through the glass. The boy motioned for him to roll it down. Josh only let it open about an inch. 

"You alright?" The boy asked, breathing heavy. Josh was slightly shocked. 

"Uh, yeah. Thanks," Josh replied. 

"Sorry, about my brother," The boy said. 

Josh was quiet for a moment. "I-It's cool." What was he doing here?

The boy kept panting outside Josh's window. He looked towards the field then back at Josh. "Can I come in for a second? Just to warm up? It's freezing."

Again, Josh was suprised. "Oh, okay. Sure." 

The brunette jogged around the front and got in on the passenger side. "Thanks," he said as he closed the door. 

Josh watched as the other person breathed into their hands and rubbed them together. They bounced their legs. 

"Tyler, by the way," The boy said. Josh's eyes flicked up to his face. 

"Josh," Josh replied. 

Tyler rubbed his hands again. "I'm, uh, I'm new, if you couldn't guess." He said shyly. 

"Yeah? Where are you from?" Josh asked. He had nice eyes. And he didn't act weird when Josh said his name. 

"Ah, just the other district," Tyler replied. "My brother was popular, so he knows everybody. I'm just following him around for the night."

Josh scoffed. "Yeah, me too. I'm just here because my friend made me."

"The, uh, the dude who was really drunk with the glasses?" Tyler asked him. 

"The loud obnoxious one? Yeah," Josh answered. Tyler laughed. They were quiet. The heat rushed out of the vents, trying to get on the boys' skin. The radio was off. 

"Are you going back out?" Tyler asked. His voice was so small, like it had to keep in a box or it would get scolded. 

Josh thought for a second. "Iiiiii don't really think so. Don't really wanna get knocked out on homecoming."

Tyler chuckled a little. "I am really sorry for my brother, though. He's a little conservative."

"No, dude, don't worry about it. I don't care." Josh replied. He didn't, really. He just didn't want to get hit.

So they stayed. They sat. Josh yawned. He was tired. 

"Do you like coffee?" Josh asked the boy next to him. His head jerked like he got yanked back to earth. 

"Yeah, I like coffee," He replied. 

"Do you wanna go get some?" Josh asked. 

"What, just go?" Tyler asked in response. 

"Yeah, I mean, we don't have to go far, and neither of us want to be here," Josh said. He checked the clock on his phone. "We've got an hour until the game ends, and I feel like a dick for spilling your hot chocolate earlier-" 

"Oh, come on," Tyler interrupted. 

"So, let's go get some. You in?" Josh finished, turning on his car the full way. 

Tyler squinted slightly at the hand on the keys, then at Josh. Then he smiled. "Okay," He said with a bit of a laugh. Josh returned the smile and got out of the parking lot.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i dont wanna spoil anythin

The car pulled up to the drive through of the nearest coffee joint. They ordered two coffees and   
Josh pulled foward to the window. Tyler tried to pull out his wallet while they sat behind a minivan. "No," was all Josh said. 

"Dude, no," Tyler replied. 

"Let me pay, man," Josh said. He wore a smile "It's me welcoming you to the school."

Tyler sighed an annoyed sigh as they pulled foward. 

They got their drinks and sat in the parking lot of the school. Tyler took the lid off his coffee and sipped it. "Ah!" He said quietly and recoiled from the drink. 

"Burn your tongue?" Josh asked, giggling slightly. Tyler nodded, giggling in response. 

They sat in car-still-running silence and waited for their drinks to cool to a comfortable temperature. 

"What's up with you, Josh?" Tyler asked. 

"Uh," Josh replied, raising his eyebrow. 

"No, not like right now," Tyler explained. "Just tell me about yourself."

"Uhm," Josh said, slightly flustered. "I mean, I'm a senior, I don't go out much..." He ran out of things to say quickly. "I'm a gemini," he added with a laugh. Tyler chuckled too, he otherwise looked genuinly curious. 

"I'm a saggitarius," Tyler said quietly. Josh smiled all big. 

"The horse?" He asked. Tyler cracked another smile. They kept falling into these patches of silence. I don't really think they minded. 

"Can we hang out sometime?" Tyler asked quietly. 

Josh rose his eyebrows. Really? "I'd love to," Josh replied, a tiny smile followed. Breaking the conversation, Josh's phone rang. Brendon. 

"Brendon, hey-"

"Josh, where are you? I lost you like 20 minutes ago." Brendon borderline yelled into the phone. 

"I'm in my car," Josh replied. 

"Why man?! Anyway, this douchebag came over with a hot chocolate stain on his shirt and said some 'stupid tranny' ran into him, so I asked if it was you," Brendon told Josh. Josh sighed while closing his eyes. He rested his head on the window. 

"You punched him, didn't you," Josh said flatly. 

"I knocked that bitch out!!! I told you I would!" 

Josh sighed again and rubbed his eyes again with his thumb and index finger. "Thanks Brendon. I love you."

"I love you too, man. You gonna come back out?" Brendon asked. Josh had too good of a friend. 

"Nah man, I think I'm gonna head home. Thanks for gettin' me out tonight."

"Anytime, Laly."

Josh smiled. "Call me if you need a ride."

"Will do. Later man."

"Later."

Josh ended the call and tried to think of what to do with the boy in his car. 

"Was your brother your ride home?" Josh asked. 

"I mean, yeah, why?" Tyler replied. Josh muttered a curse and bit at his lip. 

"Well, um, he's sort of knocked out right now," Josh informed him. 

"What?" Tyler spit. 

"I mean, okay, let me explain," Josh said quickly. 

"Well is he just laying in the middle of the stadium?" Tyler said, grabbing the door handle. 

"No, of course not," Josh reasoned. "Tyler, wait!"

Tyler stopped in his struggle to get out. 

"Can I get your number?" Josh asked, a hint of a smile on his lips. 

Tyler huffed out a sigh. "Give me your phone."

Josh watched Tyler type in his name and number. Tyler handed it back. 

Before Tyler was completely out the door he turned and said quickly, "thanks for the coffee."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it's halloween!!

Thankfully, that wasn't the end of these boy's relationship. 

They traded numbers. They sat together at lunch with Brendon. Tyler even got Josh in the habit of saying 'sick'. It made him smile. 

And it's nearing Halloween, which is Josh's favorite holiday. Tyler likes it too, he's just a bit more into the creepy part. 

The two ended up watching horror movies almost everyday after school. Tyler wanted to watch the classics like Frakenstein and The Exorcist. Josh wanted to watch Hocus Pocus and Tim Burton films. They always ended up watching one of each. 

So it's the 30th, the Friday before Halloween. Josh is over at Tyler's finally getting to watch Halloweentown with his legs sprawled over Tyler. Tyler had his legs tangled in Josh's. Both had double chins. Both were very focused on the movie. 

Josh's phone started buzzing. He fished in his pocket and pulled it out. He answered it without looking, eyes locked on the movie. 

"Hello?"

"Josh! Where the fuck are you, man?" Brendon yelled back into the phone. Josh flinched away from the receiver. 

"I'm at Tyler's," Josh replied. 

"Fuck! I'm at your house."

"What? Why?" 

"Because there's a party tonight and I want you to come," Brendon told him, almost pleading. 

"Homecoming was enough for me, man," Josh replied. 

"Josh pleeeeeeeeeeeeease," Brendon begged. "It's your favorite holiday!" Josh dropped his head back. 

"Dude, do you remember homecoming?" Josh asked. 

"Joooooooooooosh," Brendon groaned. Josh groaned back in harmony. 

"If it sucks I'm going home," Josh said finally. 

"NICE!" Brendon exclaimed. "Alright, I'm grabbing your skeleton jumper from your room and picking you up. Where does Tyler live?" 

"Hold on, dude I'm not just gonna leave Tyler," Josh said. "Give me a sec." Josh pulled his phone away from his ear. 

"Wanna come to a Halloween party?" Josh asked Tyler. Before Tyler could say anything Josh pulled the phone farther away so Brendon didn't hear him. "Okay, I don't really wanna go, but we can just sit around and then go out somewhere if you want. You down?" 

Tyler shrugged. "Yeah man, sure."

Josh brought the phone back. "Tyler's coming."

"Sick! Alright, get somethin' spooky on and text me his adress."

Josh laughed and hung up. He proceeded to text Brendon. 

"So, Tyler, do you have a mask or anything?" Josh asked. 

Tyler thought. "I've got a white skii mask?"

"That's sick. Go get it."

-

Brendon picked them up and Josh changed in the car.

"Ight, I'm staying at this dude's house over night, so you guys can leave with my car as long as you're not drunk. Just pick me up in the morning," Brendon told them both. Josh smiled back at Tyler from the passenger's seat. 

Once at the party Brendon walked in with them, stayed with them for a solid 4 minutes, then saw Pete. Off he went(z). 

Josh and Tyler stood by the wall, going through beer and soda concoctions.

"So what do you think he's trying to be?" Tyler asked Josh, pointing to a senior with a can in his hand. 

"A football player? Is he wearing his own jersey?" Josh replied. 

Tyler snorted. "Oh my God, is he?"

"I think he is. That's so his last name." Josh laughed with Tyler. 

Tyler recovered after a minute. He let out a breath. "Hooo, alright. Okay. That guy's trying to be Frankenstein," He observed. 

"He's just got bolts on his neck. four out of ten. Poor effort."

"Agreed."

The two continued this game until Tyler had to pee. "I'm gonna find a bathroom," He said and headed off. 

Not even a minute after Tyler left someone pushed Josh. He hit the wall. His soda splashed in the can. 

"Sup, tranny." 

Josh cringed. He got shoved again. "Look at me," the person demanded. Josh looked up as told. It was, nicely enough, Tyler's brother Zack, the fucking dickbag. His face split into a huge, drunk, sarcastic smile. "She don't even look like a dude!" He exclaimed to the person behind him. His eyes crumpled and he pushed his head towards Josh's chest. "Where are your tits?"

"Hey, fuck off!" Josh replied. Go you, Joshua. He pushed Zack's head back. Josh, no. 

Zack lifted his head and stood about two inches taller. "The fuck did you say?" He asked. Beer and spit sprayed from his slips. He still had a slice of a smile on his mouth. 

"I said fuck off, you dick." God dammit, Josh. You couldn't have just left it? You had to repeat it? Do you not see how big this man is?

Zack turned and smirked at his pal behind him. He wiped back quickly. 

Josh felt a blow go to his nose. His head knocked back into the wall. Zack got another hit to his eye. "You wanna be treated like a man, I'll fight you like a man!" Zack yelled. He felt a fist go in his stomach. 

"What the FUCK?" Someone raged. His best friend. His best friend who was true to his word. Josh was clutching his nose. He was shaking. His nose hurt. His breathing wouldn't regulate, and don't get me started on his heartrate. He didn't want to open his eyes. 

Someone pulled on his arm. He flinched away. No more. 

"Josh, it's me." Tyler's voice spoke. He relaxed an inch. He let Tyler drag him out of the house, barely opening his eyes. 

Tyler got him out the house and onto the street behind their car. The house was out of view. Josh was still hyperventilating. 

"Josh," Tyler said. His hands were on his sholders and he was bent down, trying to see Josh's face clearly. "Josh!"

Josh flinched again at the yelling. Tyler noticed. 

"Hey man," Tyler tried again more quietly. "Josh, can you look at me?"

Josh opened his eyes and looked up at Tyler through his hair. Tyler looked over Josh's face and sighed. He looked so concerned. 

"I'm gonna take you home, okay?" Tyler said comfortingly. Josh's eyes widened and shook his head quickly. 

"No, no Tyler I can't go home, I can't," Josh insisted. He couldn't. God, if his parents saw? They'd know why it happened. They'd never let him buy his own clothes. Or cut his hair. What if they took his binder?

Josh started breathing heavy again. "Joshie? Josh," Tyler said, heavily concerned. "You're gonna be okay, alright? You can spend the night at my place, it's no big deal."

Josh's breathing kept speeding up. "No, Tyler nononononono," 

"Josh, okay, Josh don't freak out on me, okay?" Tyler said, getting panicked himself. Josh just kept gasping for air like he was drowning. The water was seeping up through his eyes. 

"God, Josh," Tyler said exasperated. He grabbed Josh's hand off his face out of impulse. He placed it over his heart. 

"Can you feel my heartbeat?" Tyler asked. Josh nodded. There was blood still dripping through his other hand. 

"Okay, okay," Tyler said, taking deep breaths. He was slowing it down for Josh. "Can you feel how slow it's going? Can you try to match that?" Josh gulped down air and tried. It helped.

When Josh finally spoke it came out like an over played vinyl record. "Can I come over?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took so long to update i forgot i was the Absolute Worst and i had a lot goin on im sorry!!

**Author's Note:**

> idk tell me if i should continue?? i've got the next few chapters already written so lemme know


End file.
